The Half Full Glass
by Lacks Gravitas
Summary: Tragedy strikes Hinata-Sou as an incident sends Keitaro to the brink of death. Tempers flare when the blame game begins and the girls begin to realize how much he truly means to each of them. But is it too little, too late?
1. One Step Over the Line

**The Half-Full Glass**

I doubt Ken Akamatsu will ever read this and deign it important enough to send a legion of unholy lawyers to bust my sorry butt for copyright infringement, but just in case: I don't own Love Hina or any of its characters, nor am I making any money from writing this.

WARNING: I try not to be too colorful, but there is what many might call "strong language" in this chapter. Not that anyone will be cursing like a sailor, mind you. I myself don't think it's terribly out of character considering the emotional stress these people are going through. Tempers can be hard to contain when the life of someone you love is on the line. But if you're sensitive to such things then consider this fair warning.

**Chapter 1 – One Step Over the Line**

"By all rights, Ms. Urashima, your nephew shouldn't be alive right now. When I first saw him in the E.R. I, and you'll have to forgive my bluntness, I thought the minutes he had left could be counted on one hand. Multiple fractured ribs, lacerations around his thorax and abdomen, internal bleeding, and severe head trauma. The CT scan revealed rather serious contusions in his temporal lobe. And yet inexplicably and inexorably, and with _virtually no_ medical treatment I might add, he is alive and in stable condition. His recovery is nothing short of miraculous. If I hadn't seen it for myself, I'd never have believed it. The man isn't human!"

"Cut the crap, Doc," Haruka growled dangerously. Maybe it was an amusing little game for a butcher in a white lab coat, but it was Keitaro's life on the line. "If he's recovering as well as you claim, why is he still unconscious?"

The Doctor actually had the gall to look at her like _she_ was the crazy one. "Ms. Urashima. I am by no means a religious man, but I will be the first one to tell you to count your blessings. Elaborating on what I told you earlier, he has suffered perilous tissue damage to his temporal lobe. As it happens, this is the part of the brain most closely associated with speech, hearing, and memory. Amazing though Mr. Urashima's latent healing abilities may be, I have sincere misgivings to what capacity that may extend to his brain. It's very delicate, highly specialized tissue, you see. A mere cut or bruise, or even a broken bone or two is _nothing_ in comparison. Even if, and I do mean IF, he does regain consciousness, it's unlikely he will be the same person that you once knew."

_No…_

It was all Haruka could do to fight the urge to vomit then and there. The doctor, as ever, was oblivious.

"Any ordinary man would be in the morgue from these injuries, mind you. If you could call anyone who has stood at the precipice between life and death, "lucky", it would be this young man."

His eyes glazed over and the short, stocky, pathetic excuse for a human being with all the ingloriousness of a thinning hairline and exaggerated mustache stared off into the distance. "This could be the medical discovery of the century— no, in all history! If we could discern the source of his body's rapid natural healing, we might stumble on an honest-to-god panacea! Think of the possibilities! Think of the prestige!"

Haruka barely restrained herself from throttling the man; there was a faint trail of saliva dribbling down from the corner of his mount. Instead, she elected to walk over to her nephew's bedside and offer him what little comfort she could, regardless of if he was aware of it. Gingerly, she ran a hand through his tussled hair, thumbing his front bangs affectionately.

"Oh god, Keitaro. I'm so sorry that I let this happen to you…"

Her jaw hardened and a fiery determination seeped into her eyes.

"But not half as sorry as whoever did this to you is going to be. Count on it."

* * *

It seemed like ages to the five female residents of Hinata-Sou before Haruka finally returned to the waiting room. Being the only actual kin of the patient, Keitaro, she was the sole person allowed to see him initially. At first they had protested loudly but Haruka shot them all a withering look that would brook no argument. She had turned a blind eye to most of their physical and verbal harassment towards her nephew. He probably even had it coming to him more often than not. Besides, he was a big boy now. She couldn't, and wouldn't, babysit him forever. She'd thought little of it at the time. He would visit the tea house from time to time, but he'd never looked…_ abused_.

She shuddered at the word, but it only hardened her resolve. She eyed her nephew's charges with contempt. Guilty, she thought: each and every last one of them. Lingering for scarcely a moment, she spoke without preamble.

"I want names. A confession. Now."

Her words were short, but not as short as her temper.

"I said NOW!"

The girls all jumped, but none of them could look her in the eye. Instead, they glanced at each other uneasily and remained silent, as if to confirm a conspiracy to protect their fellow tenants. _So that's how it's gonna be, eh?_ Well, they were the only ones with someone to protect.

"You play by my rules, girls; not the other way around. With Keitaro out..."

…_for the count?_

She swallowed.

"…of the picture at the moment, I'm the acting landlord of Hinata-Sou and unless one of you comes forward and claims responsibility immediately, I'm evicting all of you."

"What? You can't do that!" one of the girls snapped.

Ah, it was Motoko. She should have expected as much from the belligerently brazen bitch.

"Don't you dare presume to tell me what I can and cannot do, Miss Aoyoma," snarled Haruka, her whole body vibrating from the waves of rage that washed over her. It was enough to humble even the arrogant kendo wench into submission; though evidently, not submissive enough. Perhaps unconsciously, her hand slipped towards the hilt of the blade that never left her side. Haruka's eyes flashed to it and back to Motoko in an instant.

"You… you bring that THING with you even HERE?"

"A warrior is always ready," Motoko intoned dispassionately.

Haruka loosed a bark of a laugh devoid of any mirth. "What threat could you possibly perceive in this place of healing? What could you possibly have to fear?"

She gestured around her.

"The old man in the wheelchair? The sick boy with snot dripping down his nose? MY BEDRIDDEN NEPHEW WHO MAY NEVER OPEN HIS EYES AGAIN?! NEVER SMILE AGAIN?! NEVER LAUGH AGAIN?!"

The righteous anger that had given her strength began to ebb away.

"Never sulk again? Never cry again? Never…"

Her voice was dying in her throat. It was barely a whisper now.

"Never go on a date again? Never force me to slap him for calling me 'Aunt' again?"

Her eyes stung, but she would NOT cry. Not yet. Not until these heartless bitches knew what their actions may have wrought.

"Wh-what?" Shinobu gasped. "Keitaro-senpai is going to be okay, isn't he? He's always okay."

"Y-yeah," Kitsune added. "He's a tough cookie, that one. It was pretty much the only thing he was ever confident about. He'll take a lickin' and keep on tickin'. He should be bouncing back from this one by tomorrow for sure. Right?"

Silence.

"…right?"

Haruka considered for a long moment not to tell them. Let them sit and wonder and watch them as their uncertainty gave way to guilt and slowly ate them alive. But no, any satisfaction she might have derived from that would have been empty and self-destructive.

"We don't know. His body is recovering alright, but he took some pretty bad blows to the head. Part of his brain was damaged, and that's something that doesn't 'bounce back' so readily. It's the part that controls his speech, hearing and memory, I'm told. He hasn't woken up yet but who knows what will happen when—no, IF he does? For all we know, we may have lost the old Keitaro forever."

"No…"

One cry of anguish drowned out all the others, but it hadn't come from any of the Hinata-Sou tenants. Peeking from behind the corner of the waiting room was Kanako Urashima.

"That's a lie, isn't it Haruka?" she asked, her voice laden with desperation. "I was watching you tell off the girls here and enjoying every minute of it. But that's going too far. You were just trying to make them feel bad, weren't you? What you said is a lie, isn't it?"

When Haruka couldn't look her in the eye, that was all the confirmation the girl needed.

"No…" she echoed. "No, this can't be happening. It's a dream. A bad dream. I want to wake up now. Somebody wake me up."

"Kanako…" Haruka reached towards the fragile, trembling thing only to have her hand slapped away.

"This is real," Kanako managed to heave between short, labored breaths. "This is real! I want to see him! I want to see him now!"

"I don't think you should," Haruka said in a measured tone. "It'll only make you more upset right now. Take some time to cool off first."

"FUCK THAT!" Kanako screeched, surprising herself more than anyone. She closed her eyes and took a moment to regain control of herself. One breath. Two breaths. Three. She opened her eyes. "Please. Can't I see him?"

It wasn't what Haruka expected. Kanako would normally fly off the handle over any perceived danger to her older brother, whether real or imagined. Then again, these circumstances were hardly "normal".

"Of course you can," she relented, jabbing her head towards the appropriate door. "You're family, after all."

Kanako was gone before she could finish.

"U-um, can we see him too?" Shinobu asked with trepidation.

"The hell you can!" Haruka roared, the fire igniting in her once more. "NONE of you are getting anywhere NEAR my nephew again until I get some answers. Who. Did. It."

"I swear it wasn't me," Naru said immediately. "I- I know I get carried away sometimes but I would NEVER mangle him badly enough to do anything permanent. A- And I don't really do it so much anymore, really. He's gotten better, he really has. Besides, I never really did hate him in the first place. I just didn't know how to show him how much I—"

Her face lit up crimson and she couldn't continue.

Kitsune, predictably, interjected at this point in an effort to cover her friend's awkward embarrassment. "It wasn't me neither. Sure I like to give the little guy a hard time but it's all just good-natured ribbing. I don't mean nothing by it."

"Su didn't do it. I like Keitaro. He reminds me of big brother."

"I'd never even THINK about doing something like that to Keitaro-senpai!" Shinobu insisted furiously.

Haruka appraised each of their faces one by one. There was no deceit. She sighed, whether out of relief or just plain exhaustion, she couldn't say.

"I guess that's that then. I'll allow you to visit him one at a time, after Kanako is finished."

The girls nodded dully, absorbed in their own thoughts.

Haruka frowned. One, two, three, four... FUCK. Motoko was missing. Her absence was tantamount to an admission of guilt.

Involuntarily, Haruka could feel her teeth grating. So the proud warrior was just a coward after all. She disappointed, but not surprised. Cursing her carelessness, Haruka turned to return to Keitaro's room. She wasn't letting Motoko off the hook. Not by a long-shot. But justice… and revenge... could wait. Keitaro and Hanako needed her more right now.

* * *

"What are YOU doing here, you frigid bitch?!" a scream erupted from Keitaro's quarters. "Get away from him!"

"Please," a second voice appealed. "I mean no harm. I only wish to pay my respects."

Haruka broke into a run and hurried to the door. Inside was Kanako... and Mokoto.

"Respects?" Kanako parroted. "He's not fucking dead yet, you enormous ass! Not that you would care, Miss Ice-Water-Running-Through-Her-Veins? Get. The. FUCK. Out. NOW!"

"Please! I have to see him. I have to know. I can't bear the guilt."

"Guilt?" Kanako echoed. There was a flash of realization in her eyes, then white hot rage. "YOU DID THIS TO HIM! YOU BITCH! YOU FUCKING BITCH! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

_Get in line, Kanako. _Rolling up her sleaves, Haruka stepped forward to intervene.

"Cut it out, will you?!"

Time stopped. It was a new voice. Not Kanako's. Not Motoko's. Not Haruka's. All three craned their heads towards the bed.

"Jesus Christ, I feel like I got hit by a train."

Keitaro was awake. And he could talk. Normally. He was alright.

"Get a doctor in here, quick!" Haruka yelled loud enough for the whole hospital to hear.

"Holy hell woman, those are some tonsils you've got there."

He coughed suddenly and all three women hurried towards him.

"Maybe you took mine, eh? Jesus, it hurts to even talk."

"Keitaro?" Haruka gaped lamely. "You? You're okay?"

"Well," gestured Keitaro, the effort causing him to wince slightly. "I'm covered in bandages from head to toe, near as I can see. You tell me."

"Thank god!" Kanako breathed. "Oh, thank god you're okay! I was so, so worried." She gingerly wrapped her arms around his head, resting her own on his chest when the tears she'd been holding back would no longer be denied.

"Thank god," Motoko mumbled to herself more than anyone else. Nobody heard her. And nobody cared. Not right now, at least. Because Keitaro had come back to them.

"Whoa, a guy could get used to attention like this," Keitaro grinned. "Just one question though."

Haruka smiled, wiping away a tear. "Yeah, Keitaro?"

"Uh, just who are you people, anyway?"

* * *

**Author's Notes****: **It's been a long time since I've last written any fanfiction. Lack of motivation coupled with a time budget and the fact that I'm a World of Warcraft addict really don't get the creative juices flowing. But, out of the blue, I got the idea for this story and like an itch that you just can't reach, it really got under my skin until I just had to set everything else aside until I finally hammered this out. I gotta say, I kinda missed this. But WHY Love Hina and WHY now is completely beyond me. I was over the harem genre a LONG time ago. But, I digress. I may or may not decide to continue this story depending on what tickles my fancy. I might feel more inclined to do so depending on what kind of reception this first chapter gets. Just don't get your hopes too high if you like it. I have a lot on my plate and Wrath of the Lich King is right around the corner…

Oh, and that medical crap from the beginning is all a bunch of hooey. I'm not a doctor and I've never been to medical school. What little expertise I have was imparted to me by watching House and Grey's Anatomy.


	2. Her Dark Side, Her Bright Side

**The Half-Full Glass**

I doubt Ken Akamatsu will ever read this and deign it important enough to send a legion of unholy lawyers to bust my sorry butt for copyright infringement, but just in case: I don't own Love Hina or any of its characters, nor am I making any money from writing this.

**Chapter 2 – Her Dark Side, Her Bright Side**

"Why did they have to kick us out?" Kanako muttered under her breath. "It's all your fault, frigid bitch."

"Stop calling me that," Motoko snapped. "And you were the one screaming like a banshee. If anything it's your fault."

"You deserved it," Kanako snorted. "And I'd have done a lot more than just that if Onii-chan hadn't stopped me. The only reason I'm not at your throat right now is because I promised Haruka that I'd behave myself until she talked to you first. And _some_ of us have a little something called self-restraint. Isn't that part of the bushido crap you claim to follow? You lousy hypocrite."

Motoko clenched the hilt of her sword in a death grip as Kanako eyed her warily.

"Hit a nerve, did I?" Keitaro's sister taunted. "I know your type. All high and mighty up in your ivory tower looking down your nose to us common peasants, pretending you're better than the rest of us. What part of your precious code of honor says you can swing that glorified butter knife of yours around at anyone whom you consider beneath you? Get off your pedestal, princess. You know what we call what you did to my brother in civilized society? Assault. Battery. Attempted _murder_."

Motoko stiffened and released her weapon, apparently sobered by the accusations against her.

"I... I didn't mean to... I-It wasn't my intention to—"

"To hell with your intentions!" Kanako roared. "Did you _see_ him? What _you_ did to him? He could have died! And you know what? In a way, maybe he did. Did you see his face when he looked at us? We were strangers to him! You robbed him of everything that he was or might have been. He's not the man that we knew anymore."

"I'm sure his memory will return to him," Motoko offered meekly.

"You don't know that!" Kanako fumed. "And that's beside the point! You, Motoko Aoyoma, are no better than a common street thug. You pick on people who are weaker than you and can't fight back. When you're a child and doing it on the playground, it makes you a bully. When you're nearly an adult and should know better, it makes you criminal."

"N-No!" Motoko wailed in dismay. "Stop, please!" Her pleas fell on deaf ears and Kanako gave her no quarter.

"Oh, come now. Don't be that way. I'm sure a pretty thing like you will do fine in prison. Just cozy up to the nastiest looking dyke you can find and she'll take real good care of you, I'm sure. It'll be like paradise for you! No dirty, perverted _males_ to endanger your delicate maidenhood. You'll be safely ensconced inside a maximum security prison cell where the only men you'll ever see will be on the opposite side of a wall of steel bars."

"Stop it!" Motoko screamed. "That's enough! No more!"

"Already at your limit, Motoko?" Kanako teased. "You'll need to be stronger than that. It hasn't even started yet, you see. No, this is only the beginning. Starting now, I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that your life is a living nightmare. And when I finally break you and you're begging me to put an end to your misery, I'm going walk away and leave you to rot in your own personal hell. And you know what the sweetest part about the whole thing is? You only have yourself to blame."

By now Motoko was sobbing on the floor uncontrollably, cradling her knees while curled up in the fetal position. Kanako flashed a satisfied smiled.

"Well, that's enough for now, I guess. See you later, Motoko-san."

Not bothering to spare another glance at the pitiful wretch that was Motoko Aoyoma, Kanako smoothly made her way back towards the waiting room where the other girls of Hinata-Sou were. After all, it simply wouldn't do to leave her other four toys unattended.

- - -

"Kanako-san!" It was Shinobu who first noticed her as she turned from the hall. "H-How is Keitaro-senpai?"

"Can we go see him now?" asked Su, barely able to avoid springing out of her seat.

Kitsune leaned forward eagerly as well while Naru pretended to be disinterested, poorly. Kanako regarded them all with contempt. As far as she was concerned, they were all accomplices and none of them would be spared from her wrath. She considered what to say that would hurt them the most. After a moment of deliberation, she realized it was obvious: the truth. The only question was what method of delivery would inflict the most pain...

"He's awake," she announced, savoring the sight of their poor, naive faces lighting up. She would ease them of their guilt, nurture their fragile hope, all in anticipation of the coup de grâce when she would crush them with the revelation of what their mistreatment of her older brother had finally wrought.

"What about..." Kitsune hesistated. "What about his mind? Is he...? I mean, he's not a... a vegetable, is he?"

Kanako rolled her eyes. "No, he's not in a vegetative state. He's able to move around a bit and could speak perfectly coherently."

There was a collective sigh of relief. All was going according to plan.

"When can we see him?" a timid Shinobu asked.

Kanako rounded her. "You can't," she replied curtly. "Not if I have anything to say about it." She was mildly surprised that it turned out to be Naru who was the one to snap at her.

"You don't have the right to do that!" she spluttered. "If Keitaro wants to see us, there's nothing you can do to stop it!"

It was the perfect opportunity and Kanako pounced on it.

"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that," she drawled with a knowing smile. "I don't think he has the slightest desire to see any of you right now. In fact, I know it."

"Why?" Shinobu shivered fearfully. "Is Senpai angry with us?"

"Don't believe her lies, Shinobu-chan," Naru growled. "Keitaro isn't the type to hold a grudge."

"Oh, I agree," Kanako nodded congenially, much to Naru's confusion. "Onii-chan isn't the type to hold a grudge at all." She brought a finger to her cheek and feigned an expression of deep thought. "Well, he _wasn't_, anyway."

Naru narrowed her eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that the Keitaro that you and I knew doesn't exist anymore. He's gone. Maybe forever."

Kanako smiled grimly as she watched the girls' faces contort in horror. Guilt gnawed at her for garnering any pleasure from present circumstances with her brother, but she brushed it aside. She needed the strength that the boiling blood in her veins gave her. If she paused for even a moment, she wouldn't be able to go on, as useless as a puppet whose strings had been cut. Before she could allow the fire in her to die, she had justice to mete out. There would be time to cry later.

"You're lying!" snapped Naru, the first to rouse from her daze. "Keitaro's been... er, punished, plenty of times before and he's never come out worse for the wear. You're just trying to lay some stupid guilt trip on us!"

By some miracle of self-restraint Kanako was able to repress the urge to strangle the other woman on the spot. "I _wish_ I was lying," she ground through her teeth. "As if I need to make up stories to make you feel guilty. Or are you saying you aren't at all ashamed of what you've done?"

"I didn't do anything!" Naru protested, stubbornness prevailing over common sense as was ever the case with her, especially in matters concerning Keitaro. "You don't even know what happened."

Kanako snorted. "Oh, I think I have an idea. He probably slipped and fell into Kendo girl, grabbing some inappropriate body part in the process, and instead of allowing him to explain or give him the benefit of the doubt, she hacked him to bits while the rest of you looked the other way. Am I close?"

The silence that followed told her everything she needed to know.

"Unbelievable! One minute you're beating the crap out of my brother and the next you're sitting in a hospital waiting pretending to care about him when it was you who put him in here in the first place! You're all such filthy hypocrites. Especially you, Mousey!"

She rounded on Shinobu who looked like a deer caught in a car's headlights. She wore an honest expression of shock on her face over why she was being singled out that only spurned Kanako's ire.

"M-me?"

"Hey, don't go pickin' on Shinobu," Kitsune interjected. "If anyone's to blame here, it's her least of all."

Kanako ignored her, sights set solely on the timid, quivering Shinobu Maehara.

"You could have stopped this a long time ago if you weren't such a coward. Why didn't you ever stand up for my brother? Where were you when Kendo girl and company trounced all over him? How many times did you turn a blind eye? Is that how you express love? By abandoning the man of your affections when he needs your help? You're pathetic."

"Cut it out!" Kitsune sprang from her seat to physically block Shinobu from Kanako. "Can't you see the poor thing is shaking like a leaf? Leave her out of this. This isn't her fault! You're just being a bully!"

"Oh, that's rich coming from you," Kanako commented dryly. "How many 'accidents' did you set up for my brother? How much rent money did you bilk or blackmail since he became manager? He might be clumsy and naïve but he's a good person and you knew that but took advantage of him anyway! So tell me, if I'm a bully, then what does that make you, Kitsune?"

"Enough!" a stern voice erupted. "You're causing a scene. Have you forgotten where you are?"

Kanako turned to face the busybody that dared to interrupt her, ready to give them a piece of her mind. "Mind your own business, pal! Who do you think you are to butt in when— Granny Hina?!"

"Hello Kanako," the sagely Hina greeted her granddaughter, visibly unperturbed by the disrespect she had just been shown. "I see that you decided to go against my wishes and rushed to this place without waiting for your parents and me."

"I'm sorry, Granny," Kanako mumbled demurely with her head bowed down. "Are Mom and Dad here yet?"

"They are," Hina affirmed with a nod. "I sent them ahead when I noticed you girls were here. I assume that by your being out here that you haven't seen my grandson yet?"

All of the girls shook their heads with the exception of Kanako. "Er... I have, Granny."

"Oh? Then I trust he is well?"

"In a manner of speaking..."

Hina narrowed her eyes at the ambiguous statement. "Would you care to elaborate?"

- - -

"Haruka, how did this happen? We trusted you to take care of him!" the voice of Kanako's father blustered as she and Hina entered Keitaro's patient ward. "How do you intend to take responsibility for this?"

"Oh, cut the crap!" Haruka retorted, no trace of her usual placid demeanor on her anguished face. "Who are you to talk about responsibility? I'm not the one who kicked my only son to the curb when he didn't live up to my expectations."

"Are you saying this is _my_ fault?" Mr. Urashima bellowed incredulously. "It was merely my wish for him to learn to stand on his own two feet. So long as we continued to coddle him at home, he could never become independent! I was patient. Two years came and went as he chased after his silly pipe dream and a 'promised girl' he didn't even remember the name of. I offered to support him if he would simply apply to another institution but he wouldn't hear of it! It was his choice!"

"Funny," Haruka sneered. "I wasn't aware that your love and support came with strings attached. I feel sorry for Auntie."

"Haruka! Darling! That's enough out of both of you!" Mrs. Urashima reproached. "Not in front of Keitaro!"

Hina gave her youngest daughter an approving nod as she strode forward. "I'm glad to see that someone in this family still has enough sense to keep their temper in check. Certainly my grandson has had enough of an ordeal without seeing those closest to him bicker among themselves like old hens." She eyed Keitaro appraisingly as he sat upright in his bed. He studied her with equal interest, as if he didn't recognize her. "Well, you could have at least told me that he was awake, Kanako. Your cryptic words had me fearing for the worst. How are you feeling, Keitaro?"

"Honestly?" Keitaro forced a laugh, which given his injuries came out as more of a choking rasp. "Terrible. If I wasn't so hopped up on painkillers I don't think I'd be able to stop screaming."

Kanako bit back a gasp while a hard line etched itself into Hina's brow, a telltale sign that bad things were soon to come. "How did this happen to you?"

Keitaro looked like he wanted to shrug, but seemed to think better than to make any unnecessary movements. "I was hoping that you would be able to tell me."

Hina's frown deepened. "You don't remember? And you, Haruka? Could you enlighten us?"

"I'm still a bit sketchy on the details, myself," Haruka admitted. "But I think it's safe to say that Motoko had something to do with it."

"Miss Aoyoma?" Hina blurted in surprise. Come to think of it, she hadn't been in the waiting room with the other girls. "Certainly the girl has a bit of a short fuse when it comes to the opposite gender, but I trust that even she would not be foolish enough to raise her sword at an innocent man."

Kanako snorted loudly. "You'd be wrong there."

Hina and the rest of the family turned to address her granddaughter. "Kanako, what do you know of this?"

"Enough," Kanako shrugged. "I had a little chat with Kendo girl and the other bitches and it wasn't too hard to piece things together. If you want the details, you'll need to find the culprit herself. I left her sniveling in one of the halls outside."

"Alone?" asked Haruka. "I thought I told you to keep an eye on her! What if she runs?"

"To where?" Kanako brushed aside her cousin's concerns. "It's not like she has anywhere to go besides her apartment or back home to her sister's dojo, and she's not liable to be welcome there once they find out what happened. She'll get what's coming to her, I promise you." _All of those bitches will._ "I'm more worried about Onii-chan right now."

"Do you think we ought to press charges, Granny?" Haruka inquired.

"Not until we've spoken, I should think," answered Hina. "I'm willing to give the girl the benefit of the doubt until we're certain of what transpired. Kanako has the right of it in this matter. Keitaro's health and well-being take priority at the moment. I find it troubling that he doesn't recall the incident. Perhaps the trauma gave him amnesia."

Kanako and Haruka both shifted uncomfortably and Hina did not fail to notice. "Is there something you'd like to say, you two?"

"Well," Kanako mumbled hesitantly, "you sort of hit the nail on the head, Granny."

"He doesn't remember," Haruka affirmed. "Anything. Not the incident. Not Hinata-Sou. Not me or Kanako. 'Complete global amnesia' the doctor called it."

"What?" Mr. Urashima barked. "Why didn't you mention this sooner?"

"Maybe I would have if I'd gotten the chance and you hadn't tried to bite my head off as soon as you saw me," Haruka snapped.

A red-faced Mr. Urashima opened his mouth again but was cut off by Hina. "Stop this at once! I am deeply disappointed by the both of you. This is not the time to be fighting amongst ourselves."

Hina had been the matriarch of the Urashima family for quite some time and was accustomed to throwing her weight around. Still, she never could quite shake that inkling of satisfaction she got from being able to cow her charges with such efficiency. Both her son-in-law and adopted daughter dipped their heads apologetically and chorused their contrition. "Sorry, Granny Hina."

"Please don't think too badly of us," Hina turned her attention back to Keitaro and bowed. "It shames me to admit it given the behavior that you've witnessed, but we are your family."

"Yeah, I got that part," Keitaro replied dryly. "No offense, but I'm kinda hoping the apple fell a long way away from the tree in this case."

Hina raised an eyebrow. Biting sarcasm did not sound right at all coming from Keitaro's mouth. "I suppose we deserve that but I ask that you give us another chance. How might we redeem ourselves in your eyes?"

"Well," Keitaro considered, "some proper introductions would be nice. You all know who I am but, and forgive me for being blunt here, you're all strangers to me. So I guess I'm this 'Keitaro' fellow, but who are you all?"

"Of course," Hina acquiesced. "A perfectly reasonable request. I am your grandmother and the current head of the Urashima family, your family. I'm not much for formalities so please call me 'Granny Hina'."

Mr. Urashima spoke next. "Forgive me, Keitaro," he mumbled gruffly. "I lost my head earlier. You too, Haruka. I didn't mean to point the finger at you. I realize that you're not at fault. I think, perhaps, we both said things we didn't mean." Haruka nodded briskly in acceptance of the apology and in unspoken affirmation of her own. "I'm your father, Keitaro."

"And I, your mother," said Mrs. Urashima. "It's okay if you don't remember. I'm sure it'll come back to you in time. I'm just thankful that you're alive."

"Of course," agreed Mr. Urashima. "Once you're well enough we have a lot of catching up to do. We haven't kept in touch as much as we should have after you left the house."

"Er, thanks, Dad. Thanks Mom," Keitaro tested his parents' names and decided they still felt awkward on his tongue.

"I'm Haruka. We're cousins. Let's leave it at that."

"Oh come on, 'Auntie'," Kanako teased. "You left out the fun part."

"Hey, wait a second," Keitaro blurted. "You're saying that you're my cousin and she's saying you're my Aunt? What kind of sick family is this?"

"Damn it, Kanako," Haruka grumbled. "Look, it's not what you think. Your mom's older sister was my mom, which makes us first cousins. But she died when I was still young and Granny Hina got the papers to adopt me. So I'm legally her daughter and your aunt; genealogically, I'm her granddaughter and your cousin. Simple enough? Just don't call me 'Auntie', alright?"

"Er, fine, Haruka" Keitaro agreed. He hadn't quite followed the explanation but for the moment he was satisfied knowing he wasn't some inbred hick.

"And I'm Kanako. Mom and Dad adopted me so we're not really related. In fact, I'd say we're more like childhood friends than brother and sister."

Kanako made it a point to maintain eye contact with him to emphasize her point. When it was clear she wasn't going anywhere until he gave her some sort of indication that he understood, Keitaro spoke up. "Okay Kanako, we're not related. I got it."

Satisfied, at least for the moment, Kanako withdrew.

"Well, now that we're all introduced," Hina said congenially, "where would you like to go from here, Keitaro?"

"I think I've had enough excitement for one day," Keitaro sighed. "I don't mean any disrespect or anything, and I appreciate that you all care enough to be here for me, but I'm exhausted."

"Are you sure, honey?" Mrs. Urashima said uncertainly. "We don't have to talk. I can just stay here by you while you're resting."

"Thanks, Mom," replied Keitaro, "but I'd really prefer to be alone right now. I think I'd be a little self-conscious with a stranger watching me sleep." He mentally berated himself for his callousness when he saw the crestfallen look on his mother's face. "Sorry, that came out wrong. But you know what I mean. We'll have lots of time to catch up later, right? You'll be here tomorrow, won't you? I know I'm not going anywhere in this condition."

"Of course, sweetheart," Mrs. Urashima smiled gratefully.

"I think I'll talk to the boss and see if I can't get some leave," Mr. Urashima added. "He's strict, but not heartless. I think he won't object too much."

"Sounds good, Dad."

"I'll visit too," Haruka put in. "And I doubt anyone could stop Kanako from coming if they tried."

"You know it," Kanako smirked.

"Looking forward to it," Keitaro grinned.

"Well then, it's settled," Hina confirmed. "We'll all be back tomorrow. Now, Kanako, where did you say you last saw Miss Aoyoma? I'd like to have a word with her."

"As would we," Mr. Urashima agreed, drawing his wife in with his arm. "For her sake, she'd better have one hell of an explanation."

"Out the door and to the left, around the corner," Kanako answered. "Haruka knows the way."

"Assuming she's still there," Haruka muttered.

"We shall soon see. Good night, Keitaro," Hina bowed before turning to leave. "Until tomorrow."

The rest of the family offered their farewells and filed out of the room after Hina, save for Kanako, who lingered behind with an agenda.

"Hey, Onii-chan. No, wait. Keitaro."

"Yeah, Kanako?"

She approached his bed slowly, carefully sidling up next to him and laying a hand down on top of his.

"Kanako?"

"I was serious, okay?" she whispered softly. "I don't want you to think of me as just a little sister. I'd really like it if you would think of me as more of a friend." _And eventually, maybe more..._

Keitaro fought the urge to roll his eyes and tell her 'I heard you the first time.' It just didn't seem appropriate and she seemed strangely insistent. "Alright Kanako."

"Promise me, Keitaro."

"I promise, Kanako."

"Can I trust your word?"

Keitaro smiled at that. "If we're going to be friends, I think trust is implied, Kanako."

Kanako could scarcely believe her luck. After clinging to a hopeless, unrequited love for so long, she at last felt a glimmer of hope that perhaps her dream might come true. She blinked back a few tears. "I'm going to hold you to that."

"I'm sure you will," Keitaro yawned. "Anyway, get outta here already. I'm tired and you're bugging me."

Kanako laughed. Maybe he was a little different now, but this was definitely still her brother. She felt the warmth beneath his harsh words. "Good night, Keitaro."

"Night, brat. See you tomorrow."

As much as she still wanted to kill Motoko, Kanako felt if Kendo girl had been in that room at the moment, she might have kissed her before sending the bitch to hell. It seemed as if perhaps this cloud might have a silver lining for her, after all.

- - -

**Author's Notes****: **Well, there you have it: Chapter 2. Hope it wasn't too trite for you all. I was somehow able to find the time and motivation to keep this story going, thanks in part to your reviews so let me know your thoughts. Next we'll explore the girls' reactions in more detail and the fate of Motoko. Not sure when the next chapter will be up but probably not for a while if I haven't made much progress in the next two weeks after which I'll be very preoccupied. For the record, I'm not going to confirm or deny any pairings at this point, but feel free to speculate. Certainly one is heavily implied in this chapter, but maybe I'm just teasing you?


	3. Lies

**The Half-Full Glass**

I doubt Ken Akamatsu will ever read this and deign it important enough to send a legion of unholy lawyers to bust my sorry butt for copyright infringement, but just in case: I don't own Love Hina or any of its characters, nor am I making any money from writing this.

**Chapter 3 - Lies**

It was Naru who spotted the Urashima family as they left Keitaro's room. They all had gaunt, desperate faces etched with fatigue, but Granny Hina looked worse than the rest of them put together. Her shoulders sagged deeply, as though carrying an invisible weight and her gait was sluggish, almost hobbling. Thin patches of silver and gray stood up rebelliously and Naru could almost trace the path the elderly woman's frail, shaking hand had brushed through her hair. She couldn't have been Granny Hina. Granny Hina was a vibrant, young thing; a resilient, irrepressible woman with boundless enthusiasm. This person was a stranger. An _old_ woman.

Naru felt a cold dread welling in her chest but inhaled deeply and shook the feeling as she would a bad nightmare. The woman's only grandson was being hospitalized. Given the circumstances, how else was she supposed to look? Still, if not unexpected, it was unnerving to see Hina so vulnerable. Rattled, but determined, Naru flagged down the matriarch with a wave. "Granny Hina! How is..." It was only then that she became acutely aware of how parched her throat was. She swallowed, the dry walls of her throat sticking together unpleasantly, and cleared her throat. "How is Keitaro?"

The other girls seemed to snap out of a daze at the mention of Keitaro's name. Su's ears perked in interest and Shinobu, who had been quietly sobbing, raised her head to stare at Granny Hina with rapt attention. Kitsune frowned faintly and cast a sidelong glance at Keitaro's room but otherwise her expression was unreadable. Hina studied each of them, eyes flicking from one to the next, before resting on Naru. The young woman felt she might melt from the steely gaze of eyes that had witnessed nearly a century of happiness and hardship and everything in between. Whether there was accusation, pity, disappointment, or some delicate cocktail of those emotions and more was impossible to discern. She could only stand there and wait, as the accused would await the verdict from a judge. When Hina at last broke eye contact, Naru felt herself begin to breathe again without realizing she had ever stopped.

"Girls, I love you as I would my flesh and blood daughters and that will never change," Hina addressed them all with a heavy sigh. "But you cannot begin to imagine how deeply disappointed I am in each of you. I may have been absent from Hinata-Sou for the past year, but I assure you that I am fully aware of all that has transpired. I realize that both you and my grandson may have been... surprised by the sudden change in management, and perhaps part of the blame lies in me for not taking more conventional measures ease the transition. Nevertheless, I had faith. Faith that you and he would see in each other what I see when I look at all of you: a family. And so you did, and I was very proud. But tonight, grievous harm came to a member of our family, your family, and this I did not foresee. The warning signs were there. Despite your closeness, the physical violence you so often employed on my grandson not only failed to cease, but _intensified_. Perhaps I should have intervened then. Perhaps this, too, was my failing."

_No, it's our fault,_ Naru thought bitterly. _MY_ _fault..._

She had come to view Keitaro as a rock. Useless, boring, and a waste of space. But also reliable when it mattered. He was earnest and steadfast. Slow to anger and quick to forgive. She seldom gave much thought to his virtues, instead fixating on his faults. But, and it frightened her to admit it, even to herself, somehow the bumbling, clumsy, hopelessly clueless and childishly naive fool had become an important fixture in her life. Yet, the closer they grew, they harder she had pushed him away. The only difference was that this time, he might not come back. The tension was too much for her to bear.

"Granny Hina," she pleaded. "I have to know. Is he going to be okay?"

Hina frowned at her as a teacher might at a student who had spoken out of turned but it soon dissolved and in its place there was only a kind smile. But Naru couldn't see it. All that she saw were a pair of soft, gray, grief-stricken eyes.

"The wounds of the flesh will heal in time; but Keitaro's mind, his spirit, his very soul may never be the same. He has lost his memories, his past. He will not remember your names or your faces or the experiences that you've shared."

Naru scarcely heard the words that came afterwards. She was too occupied fighting not to let her knees collapse from under her. Kitsune leapt up to help steady her friend, but her touch felt vague and distant, almost surreal. Her mind became a sieve, the conversation around her filtering through as little more than incoherent babble.

"No!" Shinobu shrill outcry jerked her from the daze. "Senpai wouldn't forget about us! He wouldn't do that!"

Hina walked over to her and caressed her hair. "Child, it's not his fault. How can we expect him to know us when he doesn't even know himself?"

"This isn't permanent, right?" Kitsune asked, a hand still firmly grasping Naru's shoulder. "It'll all come back to him eventually, won't it?"

"Perhaps," Hina allowed. "Perhaps if we immerse him in a familiar environment with friendly and familiar faces, he may begin to recall. We can only hope and we have few other options. But we can discuss that later, when he is well enough to bring home."

"When will that be?" Shinobu asked.

"Soon enough, child," Hina assured her.

_No,_ thought Naru. _Not soon enough._

"I want to see him," she blurted suddenly. "Haruka, you said we could see him."

Haruka regarded her with what could only be pity. "I'm sorry, Naru, but not tonight. He's sleeping now and you shouldn't wake him. He'll still be here tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," Granny Hina agreed.

"But that's not fair!" Naru protested. "Granny, you said we're family. We have as much a right as you to see him!"

"And you will," said Hina. "Tomorrow."

A very familiar feeling started to simmer in Naru's veins. She welcomed it as she would an old friend. It granted her strength and parted the clouds in her mind. "This is bullshit!" she bristled. "We've been sitting here all day wringing our hands while you and the doctors whisper your little secrets and you expect us to put up with it for another 24 hours? I'm going to see him and you're not going to stop me!"

She'd intended to storm into Keitaro's room before anyone could utter a word of protest but Kitsune still had a hand clamped on her shoulder and pulled her back. "Are you crazy?" Kitsune whispered tersely. "Pick your battles, you maniac! Do you _want_ to get evicted?"

Naru snorted indignantly and shrugged her off before making a beeline for the door only to have her path obstructed. Kanako Urashima stood squarely in the doorway with a hand on her hip, her posture confrontational and domineering. "Well, well, Little Miss Temper Tantrum," the raven haired girl sneered. "What business might you have with my brother? Planning to finish him off?"

"Out of the way, Kanako," Naru growled.

"Bite me."

"Don't tempt me. I'm not in the mood for your crap and I'm not going to ask again. Move it. Now."

"Or what?" Kanako challenged. "You'll pop me one? Guess that's all you know how to do, huh? Can the threats. I'm not afraid of you."

It wasn't a particularly aggressive remark and shouldn't have set Naru off like it did. But her nerves were frayed to the wire and the injustice of the whole situation was infuriating. Kanako was Keitaro's _sister_, but she never even considered herself as such and attempted to seduce him at every opportunity. And an amnesiac Keitaro was one hell of an opportunity. She had probably already begun to fill his head with lies, twisting him into her own perverted little plaything. She would never want him to remember his true self. It had to be stopped. Naru knew she had to nip that grotesque flower in the bud before it could bloom or she might lose Keitaro forever. And _that_ thought, more than anything, caused her to snap. She balled the fingers of her right hand into a fist and coiled her arm back.

"Miss Narusegawa, I want consider your next actions very carefully." Hina's voice was calm and even, barely above a whisper riding upon the breeze. It was soft; even gentle.

It was terrifying.

When Hina Urashima raised her voice, the very heavens shook. It was a rare and terrible thing to behold, but this was rarer still: when she spoke in that eerie, low, rumbling tone, heaven didn't just shake. It obeyed.

"You may visit my grandson tomorrow, I promise you. But only if you stop and think very hard about the mistake you nearly made just now. It is a mistake you have made many times in the past with my grandson. And it is a mistake you will never make again if you wish to continue to live at Hinata-Sou. I am a patient woman, Miss Narusegawa, but you try me sorely. Learn to rein in your temper or go to your room, pack your things, turn in your keys to me and begone. I will not warn you again."

Hina's features softened and her smile was both warm and sorrowful.

"I love you, child. Never doubt it. But I will do everything I can to protect my family, even from itself. I would do no less for you." She gestured to the other girls. "Any of you. Do you understand, Naru?"

_Yes,_ she thought.

"No," she said. "This isn't fair! I hate you Granny Hina!"

And then she ran, navigating the maze of hallways, stopping only when she'd reached the outside. The sun had long set in the winter sky and a light drizzled of snow trickled down from the sky. In the darkness, Naru wrapped her arms around herself feeling very cold and very alone.

- - -

Kitsune hated cold weather. Enjoying a nice bottle of sake while soaking in the sunshine on a warm beach in the Bahamas? That was more her speed. She'd make it happen, too, once she bagged herself a rich one. For now, she'd have to brave another coming winter, but she didn't intend to be sober for it. Even _that_ had to wait, though. A certain cantankerous, mule-headed, short-fused best friend needed retrieving first. She'd prefer to be drunk for that, too, but there wasn't much by way of alcohol to be had in a hospital, aside from the rubbing variety.

She found Naru huddled under an overhang next to the entrance. The poor thing was only wearing a short-sleeved blouse and looked about ready to freeze to death. Luckily, Kitsune had come prepared and tossed Naru the extra sweater she'd brought. Naru didn't seem surprised to see her and accepted it wordlessly. Kitsune let out a sigh as she took a seat adjacent to her best friend. The warm air from her breath condensed as it left her mouth and she eyed it idly before it vanished.

"I hate the cold," she commented matter-of-factly, casting a sidelong glance to her companion.

Naru didn't look at her, but nodded in agreement.

- - -

_What a mess, _Haruka thought to herself while massaging her temples. She hadn't had a cigarette for hours and her head was throbbing dully. She didn't need this drama and there was still Motoko to deal with. _God, I need a drag._

Granny Hina didn't smoke but she looked like she could use one, too. "Such a sweet child, but so difficult," the old woman sighed.

"Um," Shinobu raised a hand meekly. "You aren't really going to kick out Naru-senpai, are you, Granny?"

Hina shook her head. "No. She has a good heart and a good head on her shoulders. Given time, she will come to recognize her failings and atone for her past mistakes."

"What?!" Kanako exclaimed. "You can't be serious, Granny! You saw her. She was about to take a swing at me and she just told you off. If you let her near Onii-chan, we'll be visiting his grave next time. The girl is a loose cannon!"

"My decision is final, Kanako," Hina said in a tone that brooked no argument. "Now girls, I have a few questions for you. Do you know anything about how my grandson was injured?"

Shinobu flinched, averting her eyes from Hina and automatically searching for assistance from Kitsune only to discover her missing. Had she gone after Naru? Helpless, she glanced over to Su, her only remaining backup. The Molmolan just shrugged at her and squirmed restlessly. They were trapped and they knew it.

"It was that Kendo bitch!" Kanako snarled. "She hacked him to bits while the rest of you enjoyed the show! Admit it!"

"No!" Shinobu wailed. "It wasn't like that at all! I swear!"

"It's okay, child," Hina shushed her gently. "I just want your side of the story. No ill will befall Miss Aoyoma on your account. Just tell us what you know. Please, child."

Shinobu shook tremulously and bit her lip. "You promise?"

Hina nodded solemnly. "You have my word."

Shinobu swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Okay..."

- - -

Shinobu hummed to herself cheerfully as she pinned up a lime green t-shirt to the clothesline. It belonged to Urashima-senpai and even though the smell of detergent overpowered her olfactory senses, she imagined that it was instead his rich, musky scent. She would die of embarrassment if anyone ever found out, but sometimes she would press one of Urashima-senpai's shirts to her face, inhale deeply, and let the intoxicating aroma fill her nostrils before tossing it into the washer.

When she'd hung the last of the load, she picked up the emptied hamper and headed back down to the wash room to do the next batch, a light spring in her step. As she entered, she noticed one of Urashima-senpai's polo shirts was at the top of the heap. Unable to resist, she poked her head out into the hall to check for privacy and perked her ears to listen for any footsteps. None came. Satisfied, she gingerly picked up the shirt and caressed it to her cheek. It smelled strongly of Urashima-senpai.

"Shinobu-chan!"

"Oh my god!" she shrieked, throwing down the polo shirt and hard and as fast as she could. "I wasn't doing anything! I'm not some kind of creepy pervert who gets turned on from sniffing other people's clothes!" Her words all ran together as her tongue played catch-up with her thoughts. Her ears and cheeks felt to be on fire and she could only imagine how red her face must have been. She spun on her heels to identify the intruder only to find herself face to face with Urashima-senpai.

"Uh, come again?" he grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I couldn't understand a word of that."

"Nothing!" she blurted, completely mortified. "I didn't say anything! I was just talking to myself!"

"Oh," said Keitaro. He didn't look convinced but thankfully didn't press the issue. "Well maybe you can help me, Shinobu-chan. I'm running late for prep school and can't seem to find my English book. I thought I might have accidentally tossed it into my hamper or something. You haven't seen it, have you?"

"No," Shinobu replied truthfully, regaining her composure. "Did you leave it in Naru-senpai's room when you were studying together yesterday?"

Keitaro shook his head. "No, we checked. I turned my own room upside-down, too, and I'm running short on time. Narusegawa already left without me. Got any ideas?"

"Hmm..." Shinobu strained her memory. "I think Motoko-san was studying English last night. Maybe she borrowed it?"

"Motoko?" Keitaro paled slightly. "Is she home?"

"I think she's still out back training. She should be back soon if you want to wait."

Keitaro checked his watch. "No, I can't afford the time. Shinobu, you have to come up to her room with me."

Shinobu took a step back. "W-What?" she stammered. "Why me?"

"You're my character witness," Keitaro explained. "What if Motoko finds out that I went snooping around by myself in her bedroom? She'd eat me alive! You have to be there so you can tell her I didn't do anything perverted."

"B-But..." she continued to protest. It was such a silly thing to get flustered over. It wasn't as if he was inviting her for a night in a hotel room, but it still gave her butterflies in her stomach.

"Please, Shinobu-chan," Keitaro persisted. He reached out for her hand, cupping it in his own. All of her feeble defenses crumbled at his touch and she nodded pliantly. He continued to hold her hand as he lead her to Motoko's room. The way was paved with rainbows.

"Okay," Keitaro whispered to her. "Stay here at the door and warn me if anybody's coming."

She nodded again, a goofy grin still plastered on her face.

"Wow," gasped Keitaro. "Her room is so tidy. Hopefully that means I'll be able to find the book easily and we can get out of here."

"Oh," said Shinobu, shaking off her silly fantasies. Urashima-senpai was counting on her. This was no time to be zoning out. "I hope so."

"She has a lot of books," Keitaro observed, the sound of pages flipping in the background. "Mine doesn't seem to be here though..."

She waited patiently as Keitaro rummaged around. As the minutes passed, her anxiety began to swell. This was taking too long. They were going to get caught.

"Did you find it yet, Senpai?" she called to him. "Maybe you should just go to class without the book. I think Motoko-senpai will be back soon."

"Hmm?" Keitaro mumbled faintly. "H-Hold on for just a few more minutes."

"Hurry, Senpai," she pleaded. "Motoko-senpai could show up at any minute." As if on cue, she heard the dull plod of footstep ascending the stairs. "Senpai, quick, get out! She's here!"

"Shit!" Keitaro swore. "I'm coming."

Seconds later, he joined her out in the hallway, a book cradled in his arm. His breaths were tight and shallow and his face flushed beet red. Shinobu frowned. _He must really be terrified of Motoko-senpai._

"Did I make it in time?" he asked, eyes darting wildly.

"Make what in time?" a voice with a slow, lazy drawl asked. Moments later, Mitsune Konno's head popped up from the stairs. "Y'all aren't doing anything shady, are ya?"

"Shady? Us?" Keitaro laughed nervously. "Nope. We were on our way downstairs. Shinobu was going to see me off. I have prep school, you know. Maybe I can still catch up with Narusegawa if I hurry."

"Aw, what's the rush, hon?" Kistune grinned and winked at him. "Late is late, right? Come on and tell ol' Kitsune all about your dastardly plans. Who knows? Maybe I can help."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Keitaro, a bead of sweat dripping down his forehead.

"Mmm," Kistune murmured to herself as she studied him. "Beggin' your pardon, but I don't believe you. C'mon. Just 'fess up and get it over with. I can keep a secret. You know me..." She grabbed his hand and guided it to the small of her back and she leaned in towards him and whispered into his ear in a husky voice. "Well, maybe not as well I'd like but that wouldn't be too hard to fix..."

Shinobu could stand idly by no longer. "S-Stop! Senpai wasn't doing anything wrong! Motoko-senpai borrowed a book from me the other day and I snuck into her room to get it back. But I couldn't find it and Urashima-senpai caught me and I begged him to help me find it. S-So just leave him alone."

"Oh?" Kitsune sighed and released Keitaro. "How boring. And here I thought I had a juicy bit of blackma— oops, I mean gossip. Oh well. I'll be nappin' on the couch downstairs if you need me."

She turned and descended back down the stairs without looking back. When he was certain she was out of earshot, Keitaro deflated in relief and shot a grateful smile at Shinobu. "Nice save, Shinobu-chan. I owe you one."

"N-No," she said bashfully. "You've helped me more times than I can count. What I did wasn't anything special."

He flashed one of his trademark cheesy grins at her. It wasn't suave or dashing or anything like that. But it was genuine and whenever she saw it, she felt all of her worries float away like so much hot air. "Maybe you don't think so, but I do. Thanks, Shinobu-chan. I really don't know what I would have done if Motoko found out I'd barged into her room and went through her personal items without permission. She'd probably gut me like a fish."

"You would be correct in that assumption."

The sound a sword unsheathing froze Keitaro's blood cold.

"Out of consideration for the leal service that you have provided as apartment manager, I am allowing you a five second head start. Best you not dawdle."

- - -

**Author's Notes**: I rewrote this chapter four times and am still not quite sure I like it, but there's only so much a novice like me can do. Shinobu's not done with her story and we've yet to hear Motoko's side of things so forgive me for lying to you when I said you'd find out what would happen to her in this chapter. It'll be in the next one. In the interest of keeping things short and sweet, I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed and hope I haven't disappointed the fans of my fledgling story. If you have any feedback to give, I'd be glad to hear it.


	4. Love and Prejudice

**The Half-Full Glass**

I doubt Ken Akamatsu will ever read this and deign it important enough to send a legion of unholy lawyers to bust my sorry butt for copyright infringement, but just in case: I don't own Love Hina or any of its characters, nor am I making any money from writing this.

**Chapter 4 – Love and Prejudice**

"I think we've heard enough," Kanako interrupted, scowling as she turned from Shinobu to her grandmother. "See, Granny? Her story just digs a deeper hole for Kengo girl. What more do you need to hear? Motoko did it. Case closed."

"No!" Shinobu protested. "Don't listen to her, Granny. It might look bad, but I know Motoko-senpai would never—"

Her voice caught in her throat. She couldn't will the words into being.

"Never what?" Kanako asked with a self-satisfied smirk. "Hurt my brother? Go on and say it. You've told so many lies already, what's one more?"

Shinobu blinked in confusion at the accusation. "What? Why would you say that? I'm not a liar." Kanako studied her for a moment before shaking her head.

"Wow, you actually believe that." She heaved a theatric sigh. "Fine, then let me ask you this: if you care about my brother, why didn't you ever stand up for him? If you trust Motoko, why can't you defend her? It's simple: you're in denial. You can't handle the truth so you wrap yourself in soothing lies until you believe them yourself. You're a coward."

Shinobu recoiled as if she'd been slapped. Was Kanako right? Her trust for Motoko-senpai... was it really that fragile? Were her feelings for Urashima-senpai not in earnest? Until now, she'd defended Motoko out of loyalty, but how did she really feel in her heart of hearts. She took a deep, cleansing breath and closed her eyes, searching for the answer from deep within herself.

And then she knew.

When she opened her eyes again, she met Kanako's gaze with her own. Shinobu stared unflinchingly into the other girl's pupils as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Motoko-senpai isn't perfect," she admitted, "but she isn't the monster that you seem to think she is either."

Her voice felt ten times bigger than normal; not loud, just... big. She couldn't explain it any other way. It flowed out soft and steady, neither meek nor threatening. Every word echoed confidence and clarity and Shinobu could hardly believe she was the one speaking them.

"I didn't like her at first. When we first met, I was afraid of her. She was so cold to me. She never smiled or laughed, and she barely spoke. I thought she hated me. And then one day, about two weeks after I came to live at Hinata-Sou, my parents arrived at our doorstep to convince me to come home. When I said no, my dad lost his temper and tried to drag me out the door by the wrist. I saw Motoko-senpai in the corner of my eye and she moved towards us faster than I could have believed. I thought she was going to hit him. But she never laid a finger on him. Instead, she sank to her knees and bowed her head all the way down to the ground and begged him to reconsider, to let me stay. She did that for me when we'd barely said more than two words to each other."

Kanako's eyebrows lifted in surprise, though the scowl never left her face. Shinobu doubted that she could ever sway the stubborn girl's judgment, but Kanako was not the only one with convictions.

"You say I'm a coward. Well, I don't deny it. I know I'm timid and wishy washy and jump at the sight of my own shadow. Even now, as I'm saying this to you, I'm frightened. But, coward or not, I could never forgive myself if I let you slander and accuse my friend, Motoko, when you have no idea what kind of person she is. When you don't have a shred of proof to back it up. I don't care if you're his sister. You have no right to lash out at Motoko-senpai, or me, or anyone else just because you're angry. Grow up, Kanako. Urashima-senpai would be ashamed of your behavior."

As Shinobu finished, she noted the bewildered looks on everyone's faces and instantly regained her senses. Blood rushed to her head, leaving her feeling faint and completely mortified. Whipping towards Granny Hina, she inclined her torso forward into a deep bow.

"I'm sorry! That was so inappropriate of me, saying such things to your granddaughter in such a public place. I even had the insolence to do so while you were present. I beg your forgiveness, Hina-sama!"

Tense seconds ticked by as Shinobu steeled herself for the worst.

She never imagined that the worst would involve Granny Hina bursting into a fit of raucous laughter. Everyone in the room, by-standers and all, turned to stare at the hysterical elderly woman. She nearly fell over as her howls filled the room and received more than a few funny looks.

"Shinobu," Su leaned in close, miming a stage whisper, "I think you broke her."

Minutes passed before Hina finally regained composure enough to speak. "Oh dear, oh dear," she chuckled, eyes dancing with mirth. "You've grown up on me, child. I suspected that my grandson might have more success than I did in coaxing you out of your shell, but I never imagined he'd get these results in so short a time. I'm so proud of you, and of him."

Shinobu's face flushed an even deeper shade of scarlet. "Urashima-senpai did so much for me. For all of us. That's why I don't think Motoko hurt him. She knows her own strength better than anyone. Of she'd wanted to badly injure Urashima-senpai, she could have done it a long time ago. But she always held back, even when she was really angry. I believe in her, no matter how guilty she might look."

Kanako scoffed, but the gesture lacked heat, and Shinobu wondered if maybe she'd gotten through to the girl, if only a little. Feeling reassured by Granny Hina's broad smile, Shinobu bowed deeply again in one last desperate appeal on behalf of Motoko-senpai.

"I understand how things may look, but please give Motoko-senpai a chance. I don't know what happened after she ran out of the house after Urashima-senpai, but I beg that you give her the benefit of the doubt until she can tell you her side of the story."

"Then tell me who did this to my brother!" Kanako demanded in a sudden outburst. "If not her, then who?! Who the hell would do such a thing?! It's HER! It HAS to be her!"

It was the first time Shinobu had seen Kanako cry, and it unnerved her. For the first time she realized that Kanako had known Urashima-senpai longer than the rest of the put together. Out of all the girls, his brush with death must have shaken her the most. She was afraid for him. Maybe even afraid _of_ him because he was no longer the brother she'd spent all those years with. Shinobu's own grief must have been dwarfed by Kanako's.

"Kanako-san," she called her name very gently. "I'm sorry. I didn't think about your feelings. I can understand that you need someone to blame, but sometimes bad things just happen. At least Urashima-senpai is still alive."

"Shut up!" Kanako spat bitterly, her eyes burning with feral rage even as tears pooled under them. "Don't pretend that you know how I feel. And don't bullshit me about how 'bad things happen'. Bad _people_ make bad things happen. The world is full of them and they do it everyday. I've seen it. I've experience it first-hand growing up in an orphanage. Only Onii-chan was kind to me. He's as good a man as I've ever known and he nearly died today. You might think I'm out for blood, but this isn't about revenge. It's about _justice_. My brother didn't deserve this. And I don't care what it takes, I'm going to make it right."

"And what if no one is to blame?" Shinobu asked. "What if Urashima-senpai was just in the wrong place at the wrong time? What if it was all just an accident? What then?"

"What if pigs could fly?" Kanako riposted. "It doesn't matter because they _can't_. And this _wasn't_ just an accident. If Aoyama is so innocent, why isn't she here right now? Why did her face pale like a sheet when she saw my brother? Why did she break down like a filthy animal when I asked her about it? At least I can support my conclusion with facts instead of clinging to baseless suppositions. 'What if' isn't an argument. It's a stall tactic and I've wasted enough time on you."

"You're wrong!" Shinobu screamed. "My beliefs aren't baseless! I know Motoko Aoyama is a good person. I see her everyday. I eat breakfast with her every morning and I wish her sweet dreams every night. Don't you dare pass judgment on her when you don't even know her. Or can you tell me why she came here to see Urashima-senpai? Wouldn't a murderer have run away? Why did she do it now when she could have done it a hundred times before? Why was she biting her lip and wringing her hands with the rest of us if she didn't care about him?"

"Shut up already!" Kanako roared. "Shut your filthy, lying, ungrateful mouth! She did it! You did it! You all did it! He gave you everything and you threw it back in his face! None of you could ever do any wrong in his eyes. None of you appreciated what he sacrificed for you! None of you deserved his love but you got it anyway! So what if it was just an accident? It doesn't change the fact that YOU mistreated him. YOU caused him to suffer. Why do you think he doesn't remember you? Think about it. Maybe he doesn't WANT to. And why would he, after everything you've done to him? It doesn't matter who pulled the trigger, you're ALL holding a smoking gun. You're ALL murderers with his blood on your hands."

Every one of Kanako's words felt like a knife through Shinobu's heart. She felt her knees threaten to buckle from under her at any moment. She wanted to scream her innocence. She _loved_ Keitaro Urashima. She would _never_ hurt him.

And yet, she had. Maybe not personally, but knowing that her friends were doing wrong and choosing to do nothing about it made her just as guilty. They loved him, too, of course. But that didn't make it any less wrong. Kanako had been right. They were all hypocrites. Every last one. It was a bitter draught to swallow. But, she could bear it. She could accept it. She would never forget those regrets, but neither would she allow them to become her shackles.

"Urashima-senpai taught me so much," she said quietly. "I was so lonely. I wanted a friend, but I was always scared to take that first step forward. 'What if they hate me?' I thought. 'I'm so gloomy, nobody would ever like a girl like me,' I thought. The way I saw it, there was no point in trying if I was going to be rejected. I thought I deserved to be lonely. But then he took my hand. He showed me what an empty way to live that was. I'll never turn back. I won't be paralyzed by my own doubts and insecurities. I love him. And I know I hurt him. But I still love him. What do you want me to do? Hide under a rock and cry over how guilty I feel until I die? I DO feel guilty, but that only makes me want to be with him even more. To say I'm sorry, and more than that: SHOW I'm sorry. I accept my sins, but I'll atone for them. Whatever it takes. He means that much to me. And not just me, to all of us at Hinata-Sou."

Kanako only glared at her in response, but Shinobu didn't turn away. Kanako's resentment: she would accept that, too.

"I'll never forgive you," Kanako rasped. "Any of you."

"I know," said Shinobu. "But that won't stop me, either."

To Shinobu's amazement, Kanako actually smiled.

"I'll be watching. If you hurt him again, I'll make you pay. But if you can show me what you said just now is more than mere words, then maybe I can accept you."

Shinobu nodded gravely.

"I just want him to be happy," Kanako whispered. "I don't think you can give that to him, but go ahead and try. I won't lose to you."

Shinobu nodded again.

"Fine," Kanako said. "Then I'll listen to what Aoyama has to say."

"Thank you," Shinobu bowed.

"Save your thanks," Kanako muttered. "I told you, I just want him to be happy. This doesn't have anything to do with any of you."

Without sparing so much as another glance at her adversary, Kanako turned and stalked down the hall. Mr. and Mrs. Urashima exchanged uncomfortable looks before excusing themselves to follow. Granny Hina's eyes sparkled as she winked at Shinobu and threw a thumbs up. Haruka alone lingered behind and approached the blue-haired girl.

"I'm impressed," she said seriously. "You handled that girl better than Granny Hina can."

Shinobu felt her face heat up. "I-I didn't do anything worthy of praise. I just told her how I felt. I'm actually surprised she didn't explode at me."

Haruka smiled wryly. "That makes two of us. That girl's been like that since I've known her. I'm no good with her at all. It's like oil and water."

Shinobu shook her head. "I don't think it's any different with me."

"I'm not so sure about that," Haruka said. "Either way, thanks for calming her down. When she gets high-strung like that, there's no telling what she capable of." She yawned and brought a hand to massage her temples. "It's been too long since I've had a drag. I think I'll let Granny Hina handle the rest. Why don't we find Naru and Kitsune and I'll take you girls home?"

Shinobu nodded. "I hope Naru-senpai is alright."

Haruka shrugged. "Kitsune is with her. I can't imagine how they became friends but they do a pretty good job of looking out for each other."

"I'm a little jealous," Shinobu agreed.

"Alright, girls, grab your coats and let's head out." Haruka was already reaching for her lighter as she walked briskly towards the exit.

Shinobu turned to follow when she felt a tug at her sleeve. It was the familiar dark-skinned foreign princess of Molmol. "Yes, Su?"

"Are you really Shinobu?"

Shinobu frowned. "Who else would I be?"

Su squinted suspiciously at her. "An evil alien robot who has kidnapped the real Shinobu and taken her form in a sinister plot to take over the Earth."

Shinobu's frown deepened. "Why would you think that?"

"Because there was a 82.13 percent incongruity with your typical behavior in high-stress social situations just now," Su explained, never taking her eyes off of her companion. Or blinking.

Shinobu pouted indignantly. "You're making fun of me."

Su did not smile. "I must be certain that you have not been compromised, Shinobu. To remove all doubt, I must unleash my secret weapon."

Shinobu watched as Su slowly reached into her front coat pocket, which was clearly flat and contained no such weapon. "Su, stop teasing me."

"Hyah!" Su whipped out her hand and thrusted a single sheet of paper into Shinobu's face. The "weapon" was nothing more than a photograph depicting a... n-n-n-naked Urashima-senpai with his private area blackened out by a mosaic. Shinobu slumped to the ground in a gelatinous heap.

"Hmm, identity confirmed," Su sighed in relief. She reached for her smelling salts to revive the girl, before thinking better of it. She ought to confirm criteria number two first. Better safe than sorry.

Su rapped her knuckles against Shinobu's skull casing. "No abnormal metallic compounds present. Yep, definitely Shinobu," she decided.

She knocked once more just to be certain.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Sorry about the wait, folks. And sorry this chapter wasn't longer. I didn't intend for this paticular scene to turn out as long as it became and by the time I finished, I felt it merited status as a full-fledged chapter. I wasn't sure about adding the humor at the end either, but I figured the story could use a bit of levity. I know Keitaro hasn't gotten a lot of face time at this point, but rest assured he'll have his time in the sun. For at least a couple more chapters, I'll be focusing mainly on the girls. As for the pairing: I'm still not telling. As always, thanks for reading. Write a review and let me know what you think.


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